Orders, Decorations and Medals

A C.I.E. group of five awarded to Colonel J. H. Rivett Carnac, Ghazipur Light Horse

The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire, C.I.E., Companion’s 1st type breast badge with ‘India’ on the petals, gold and enamel, complete with brooch bar; Jubilee 1897, silver; Coronation 1902, silver; Coronation 1911, silver, these unnamed; Volunteer Officers’ Decoration, V.R.I. cypher, reverse engraved, ‘ Coll. J. H. Rivett Carnac, C.I.E., Hony. Comdt., Ghazipur Light Horse’, hallmarks for Birmingham 1896, with top brooch bar, orders and medals loose in leather case, generally good very fine (5) £1500-1800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Long Service Medals from the Collection formed by John Tamplin.

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John Henry Rivett-Carnac was born in London in 1838, the second son of Admiral Rivett-Carnac, R.N. Educated abroad for the Diplomatic Service and at the East India College, Haileybury. Employed with the Bengal Civil Service, 1859-94, he was Additional Secretary to Sir Richard Temple in the Central Provinces; Commissioner of Cotton and Commerce with the Government of India; Special Commissioner in the Bengal Famine of 1874; Opium Agent; Extra Private Secretary to Lord Lytton at Delhi; A.D.C. to the C-in-C. Field Marshal Sir Donald Stewart. He was awarded the C.I.E. in 1878 for his services in the Bengal Famine of 1874.

A keen volunteer, he raised and commanded the Ghazipur Volunteer Light Horse and Rifles. He commanded the Volunteer Brigade at the Grand Manoeuvres at Delhi during 1888, and commanded the Indian Rifle Team at Wimbledon during 1885 and 1887.

Of his other appointments and honours he was A.D.C. to the King, J.P.; a Knight Grand Commander of the Austrian Order of Franz Joseph and Grand Cordon of the Anhalt Order of Albert the Bear. He was a Fellow of the University of Bombay, and of the Royal Academies of Spain and Sweden, and of several Antiquarian Societies. A keen sportsman and shot, he was winner of the Regimental Silver Cup for Rifle Shooting in 1890. He died on 11 May 1923.